Beach Weekend Tiki Boat Rental in Key West: Private 13-Seat Party Pontoon

Beach Weekend

Tiki Party Boat Rental

★ 5.0 (1) · from $700

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Prices and timetables checked 2026-10-17. This page contains affiliate links to GetYourGuide.

The Beach Weekend tiki boat is a private, 13-passenger party pontoon you rent for 4 to 8 hours out of a marina east of Old Town, with a slide, two coolers and a GPS that has sandbar routes saved. GetYourGuide lists it from $700 for the group, and the captain is optional.

What changes the decision is the licence line. The listing tells you to bring a boating licence, yet Florida issues a safety education ID card instead, and anyone born on or after 1 January 1988 who drives a motor of 10 horsepower or more needs one. If nobody in your group has it, hire the captain or book a different boat.

What is the Beach Weekend tiki boat rental and what do you get?

You get a whole boat for your group, not a seat: a 13-passenger tiki pontoon, a bar-style seating area, a lounge area and a water slide fed by a pump. Nobody else boards, so the music, the route and the swim stops are yours to decide.

The equipment list is short but useful. Two large coolers hold your drinks and food, a ladder makes swimming easy for anyone who dislikes climbing, and a Simrad GPS carries saved lines to popular sandbars, which helps first-time skippers find shallow water without guessing.

• Slide: one slide with a water pump.
• Coolers: two large ones, so plan ice at the marina store.
• Navigation: Simrad GPS with preset sandbar lines.
• Seating: bar stools plus a lounge area, with cup holders along the rail.

I'd call this a party boat first and a sightseeing boat second. For a guided cruise that does the talking for you, compare it with the Key West boat rental guide and the shared trips on the Key West boat tours hub.

How much does the tiki boat cost per person?

The $700 is a price for the boat, which at 13 people is $53.85 each and at 6 people is $116.67 each. The listing's "per person" wording does not fit a 13-seat rental, so confirm the total on the checkout screen before paying.

The break-even is 10 people. Below that, a shared trip such as the Sebago snorkel and seafood boil costs less per head and includes food. Above it, the private boat wins on price and on control. The listing does not state whether fuel is covered, so add that question to your pre-booking list.

Where do you pick up the boat?

The listing names only "Beach Weekend Marina" and gives coordinates 24.57414, -81.734295, which is on the island's east side, not at the Old Town docks. Beach Weekend Marina on Google Maps.

From the Historic Seaport that is 7.9 km by road, about 13 minutes by car (driving directions from the Seaport), according to OpenStreetMap routing. From Duval Street it is 8.4 km and 14 minutes (directions from Duval Street). I would not plan this as a walk. Key West's city bus is $2 for an adult one-way per the City of Key West fare page, but with a 13-person group a rideshare or two cars is simpler.

Plan the evening separately: the marina is far from Old Town, so a group that wants sunset at Mallory Square or a beach stop at Smathers Beach should check the return time against the sunset table below.

Do you need a licence to drive the tiki boat?

You need Florida's boating safety ID card if you were born on or after 1 January 1988 and will steer a motor of 10 horsepower or more, unless a captain drives. Florida does not issue a boating licence as such, so the listing's licence reminder points to that card.

• Card plus photo ID: the FWC says you must carry both while operating.
• Visitors from other states: a certificate from an approved course, with a photo ID, covers up to 90 days after the course.
• Rental briefing: staff giving pre-rental instruction must hold an approved course certificate, as the FWC livery page explains.
• Captain option: the listing lets you hire one, so nobody has to hold the card.

The rules are on the FWC boating safety ID card page and the livery regulations page. I'd hire the captain for a first trip in Key West: the waters around the island have shallow banks, and a skipper who knows them is worth more than the saved fee.

What is included and what do you bring?

The boat and its fittings are included; consumables are yours. The listing says guests may bring snacks and drinks or buy them at the marina store, and alcohol is limited to guests 21 and over.

If you plan to swim near reefs, note that NOAA requires a dive flag for snorkeling anywhere in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and boats must slow to idle speed within 300 feet of one. The listing does not mention a flag on board, so pack your own if you snorkel. See the NOAA sanctuary regulations.

How long should you rent it for?

Four hours covers a sandbar stop and a lunch, while 6 to 8 hours fits two swim stops and a late return. The table below shows the latest start that still gets you back by sunset in each month.

From November to February a 4-hour rental has to start by about 1:41 to 2:22 PM to finish in daylight, and an 8-hour rental by about 9:41 to 10:22 AM. The listing does not say whether the boat may stay out after dark, so assume it must return by sunset unless the operator says otherwise.

Is the Beach Weekend tiki boat worth it for a group?

For a group of 10 or more that wants a private party afloat, I'd book it, because the cost per head drops below a standard shared snorkel ticket and nobody else dictates the music or the stops.

The shared trips bring food, a crew and a route; the tiki boat brings freedom and a bill for fuel, ice and food on top. If you also want to see the cheaper pontoon alternative, the double-decker pontoon from the same operator carries a similar price with two or three slides and a stated skills requirement.

5.6 nights was the average length of stay for Florida Keys visitors in 2024, which leaves room for only one or two full boat days.

When is the best time to rent the tiki boat?

March has the fewest rain days, 4.3 on average, and September the most, 19.3, so a spring weekday gives the best odds of a dry day on the sandbar.

June to October is hot and wet, with highs of 83 to 87°F and 15 to 19 rain days a month. An open pontoon with a roof over only part of the deck gives limited cover in a squall, so ask what the operator does when lightning is nearby. Next on the calendar, Veterans Day falls on 11 November and Thanksgiving on 26 November, according to the Nager.Date holiday API, and both weekends are likely to be busy.

What do renters say about the tiki boat?

There is almost nothing to go on: GetYourGuide shows one 5.0/5 rating and no written reviews, so the page cannot tell you about boat condition, fuel policy or the marina handover.

That is a thin sample, and I would treat the 5.0 as a sign the listing is new rather than proof the operation is flawless. Ask the operator for a recent customer photo and the exact handover process, and check the Google Maps reviews for any tiki-boat business you find at the coordinates.

Who should skip the Beach Weekend tiki boat?

Skip it if your group is under eight people, if nobody can legally drive and you do not want to hire the captain, or if you want a guide to explain the sights.

• Small groups: below the 10-person break-even, a shared trip is cheaper.
• Drivers without the card: hire the captain or pick a shared cruise.
• Sightseers: a crewed cruise on the Key West catamaran tours page includes commentary.
• Anyone needing precise facts: fuel, ice, tip and departure times are not on the listing.

How do I book the Beach Weekend tiki boat?

Booking is through GetYourGuide with free cancellation until 24 hours before the start and pay-later available. Choose your date, then read the confirmation email for the captain option.

How do you book the Beach Weekend tiki boat?

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Listing data from GetYourGuide (product 1028980); FWC Boating Safety Education ID Card; FWC livery regulations; NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary regulations; City of Key West bus fares; Monroe County TDC 2024 Visitor Profile Study; Open-Meteo archive API; sunrise-sunset.org API; Nager.Date API; OSRM routing. Back to Harbour Advisor.